Great white shark washes up on B.C. shore
In a rare occurrence, a bona fide great white shark washed up on a B.C. beach this week.
The apex predator was found dead on Haida Gwaii Thursday and a scientist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada confirmed it to be a Carcharodon carcharias, or great white. The scientist identified the shark species by examining its teeth and the shape of its tail fin.
The animal is male and measures approximately 13.5 feet long, according to the DFO. Examinations revealed the shark had been eating a seal, a common food for great whites. A conservation officer also collected tissue samples from the shark for research purposes.
Great white shark sightings are rare in British Columbia, but not unheard of, a spokesperson for the federal agency told CTV News in an email.
Great whites swim in temperate and subtropical waters around the world, the DFO said. In the Pacific Ocean, the creatures can be found from the Gulf of California up to the Gulf of Alaska.
There have been about six confirmed great white occurrences in the outer coastal waters off B.C., in the Esperanza Inlet (off western Vancouver Island) Hecate Strait (north coast) and Haida Gwaii, the DFO said.
A great white shark washed up on Haida Gwaii on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Courtesy: Mike Miles/Facebook)In B.C. the DFO says it receives “many” reports of what people think are great white sharks, but are actually salmon sharks, a close relative. Sixteen species of shark are known to exist in B.C.’s waters, according to the DFO.
“Given climate change, we can expect their occurrences in our waters to increase in frequency in the coming decades,” the spokesperson wrote.
When it comes to shark attacks, swimmers and boaters in B.C. likely need not worry. According to the Canadian Shark Attack Registry, run out of the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory, there have been three confirmed shark attacks in the history of the province—in 1905, 1925 and 1961.
In all three incidents, no one was injured, and in the first two the species of shark remains unknown. In the 1961 occurrence, however, a great white shark off the west coast of Vancouver Island reportedly chomped on a fisherman’s canvas bags before swimming away.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Canada will be absolutely fine': Justin Trudeau, his ministers and Pierre Poilievre congratulate Donald Trump
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet congratulated Donald Trump Wednesday morning on his second United States presidential election win, amid questions about how the federal government intends to navigate a second term.
What Donald Trump's election victory could mean for Canada
Following president-elect Donald Trump's decisive election victory, there are sure to be significant knock-on effects for Canada. Here's a look at the different areas in which a second Trump presidency may affect Canadians.
Kamala Harris concedes: Here's what she said in her speech
Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris conceded the U.S. election to Republican Donald Trump Wednesday afternoon, telling her supporters that her 'heart is full.'
Canada orders wind up of TikTok's Canadian business, app access to continue
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok's Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Newfoundland hockey player suspended, banned from local arena after off-ice fight with fan
A combination of a thrown stick and thrown punches have given a senior hockey player in Newfoundland a three-game suspension and an indefinite ban from one of his league's six arenas.
Controversial Australian Olympic breakdancer 'Raygun' retires from competition
Australian breaker Rachael Gunn has told a Sydney radio station that she plans to retire from competition just three months after her unconventional routine at the Paris Olympics led to her being ridiculed and spawned conspiracy theories about how she qualified for the Games.
Sleepy during the day? You may be at higher risk for a pre-dementia syndrome, study finds
If you find yourself sleepy during your daily activities in your older age, you may need to consider it more than an inconvenience — since the fatigue may indicate you’re at higher risk for developing a condition that can lead to dementia, a new study has found.
Kamala Harris made a historic dash for the White House. Here's why she fell short.
"Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn't mean we won't win," U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris said on Wednesday in her concession speech.
Who won the popular vote? U.S. election vote totals from the past 40 years
Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency on Tuesday, and as of Wednesday morning, was also ahead in the popular vote. Historically, though, the candidate with the most votes hasn’t always won the contest.